“The neighborhood’s cleaned up a lot...thank God for Dunkin’ Donuts,” he says, as he feels that the franchise is a big draw to the area. Sveva hopes one day to see a supermarket and chain drugstore in St. George proper which he believes will be a boon to residents and local shopkeepers.

Right now his parlor opens only five days a week. Save for the library and Greenmarket at the top of Hyatt St. there is little pedestrian traffic on weekends. During the week, business comes in waves as jury duty, Grand Jury duty and nearby schools empty out for lunch or dismissal. Right now, business drops off after 3:30 p.m.

Sveva looks forward to the new courthouse opening in a few months. At that time, he’ll open on Saturdays. He’s also thrilled about prospects brought by the anticipated Ferris wheel.

“If there’s night business with that, I’ll be open 24 hours if it turns out that way,” he joked.

In the meantime, he promotes his $5 lunches — chicken salad as well as bruschettas and assorted pies like one topped with Buffalo chicken.

“With a can of soda, for $6.25 you’ve got lunch,” he concludes. 

Note that Enoteca Maria, Jimmy Steiny's and Rispoli Bakery, all on Hyatt St., are open on the weekends. HELLO AND GOOD-BYE

We bid a ‘farewell’ to two spots on the dining scene. Gates are down at Mike’s Broadway in West Brighton. The address 747 Forest Ave. is former home to 747 Steakhouse, Port of Marseille and Italian Heart Cafe. Rick’s Cafe in Stapleton also went dark. In the meantime, we have several new restaurants to check out.

Patrizia’s of Brooklyn — 4255 Amboy Rd., Great Kills; 718-317-6600— is fresh on the scene as a sister location to a well-regarded, convivial operation of the same name in Williamsburg. The price of $55 per guest gets patrons a 10-course meal that includes five appetizers, a pasta plus two meats and a seafood entree, all selected by the restaurant. But there’s more. That meal option, essentially a tasting menu served family-style, includes beer, wine, sangria, dessert and coffee. It is open daily for lunch starting at 11 a.m.

Also from across the bridge we see Frank and Sal Prime Meats — 4060 Hylan Blvd., Great Kills; 718-966-7400. The spacious butcher and Italian specialty store that offers (as its moniker suggests) freshly butchered/prime meats, prepared foods, a deli and salumeria. The shop transitioned from Nove Market, a Russian food emporium, and still maintains a limited inventory of Eastern European products — dairy items, salamis and some packaged goods.

Yes, Great Kills is quite the happening food town these days. Village Maria — 3995 Amboy Rd., 718-984-9449 — reopened after two years of no activity. The impressive overhaul of the business includes a tidy green and red logo, a new brick facade, wrought iron railings outlining a patio area and a framed Scott Lobaido flag painting that bumps up the roofline. It has an almost corporate slickness with a neon “pizzeria” sign in front and attractive green-on-white striped awnings. And the pizza, while a little different in style than one might remember from a few years ago, is still enjoyable.

Genki, a Japanese restaurant with a sister operation on Arden Ave., takes hold in the a former gluten-free off-shoot of Joe’s of Avenue U at 150 Greaves Lane, Great Kills; 718-966-1155. The menu offers classic, storefront sushi parlor fare.  FEVER FOR ‘FLAVOR’

Staten Island has three eateries named Sabor at the moment. We’ve got a West Shore outpost which is Sabor — 1547 Arthur Kill Rd., New Springville; 718-948-0200 — that promises Puerto Rican food such as ceviche and assorted versions of mofongo, a plantain-based dish. But that Sabor should not be confused with Brazilian steakhouse Sabor — 1816 Hylan Blvd., Dongan Hills; 718-987-2800 — which serves over a dozen courses of sizzling meats tableside. Nor should it be mixed up with Sabor Latino — 2960 Richmond Terr., Mariners Harbor; 347-825-3614 — a casual outfit that offers empanadas, pasteles with pork and/or chicken plus mofongo and rice dishes.

ISLANDERS TO WATCH

Staten Island is the hometown to some impressive people in the food business. John Dorman of Randall Manor, for instance, is the General Manager of The University Club of New York. He recently traveled with his family to San Diego to accept an Excellence in Club Management award, a prestigious honor in the hospitality world. Dorman is son of John Dorman, a Barrett Ave. candymaker who is proprietor of Philips of Coney Island.

Also in the national food spotlight: Clarisa Martino is a former West Brighton resident who graduated in 2004 from the Institute of Culinary Education graduate. She now oversees Bobby Flay’s Mesa Grill pastry department. Kitchens are located in Manhattan, Las Vegas and the Bahamas. Ms. Martino was recently featured on Food Network’s 3 Days to Open with Bobby Flay where she coached an entrepreneur in the bakery business. Her dad is Charles Martino, proprietor of Randall Manor Tailor, West Brighton.